Bad actors scare me. A good actor is like watching a great musician, but having a bad actor terrifies me, because it means I've got to find something to say or something to do. And that's really frustrating, because you want to be concentrating on everything, and instead you find yourself bogged down with helping someone know their lines or not bump into the furniture, and that's when you want to strangle them. -PT Anderson

P.T. Anderson and Lars on actors

TOP TEN

The top ten films in my mind as I sit here at work considering tomorrow's readings.

1. The Return (pure narrative perfection)
2. Short Cuts (literary mosaic madness, I feel connected)
3. Saraband (still only halfway through...want to get home and finish it)
4. Swimming Pool (truly flawed yet intoxicatingly moody Ozon)
5. Samaritan Girl (need to see it again)
6. Melvin Goes to Dinner (classic Jack Black. Odenkirk is a genius)
7. Husbands and Wives (I can't believe I haven't seen Match Point)
8. Hard Eight (wonder if PTA will get it renamed Sydney anytime soon)
9. Punch Drunk Love (well on the subject, I need to see this one again)
10. Manderlay (no Dogville, but still, Lars)

The sun is out. That is something new.

CALLBACKS

Day one of callbacks (peppered with a few new auditions), goes this Tuesday (Jan 31st).

Right on schedule.

We're taking a peek at actors in potential pairs. Because YUMI IN LOVE is about a bunch of couples, we need to see how people look and feel together.

All of this work is making it difficult to maintain the day job, school, and keep up with life...however, no complaints, we're making a movie!

The film has to be perfect, but how to temper the desire to raise money with the reality that more money means more red tape? What micro budget is best?

I've got some production meetings next week where I'll try to clear up a little bit of the production/legal/union mud (in my own mind).

SARABAND
Halfway through...so far so Bergman!

WRITE TURNS

Performed another "polish" on Yumi in Love" yesterday.

I wish I could take back each and every earlier version of the script and destroy them. With each new version I come back to "how the hell did I let anyone read this before now!" But, we persevere.

Casting has been going very well. These actors (at least three so far) deserve to be stars. I hope that our film can help in that regard.

about 150 days until Yumi falls in love...unless we shoot sooner...

July 1st is my latest start date, but we might start earlier if things keep going as well as they're going...

Stay glued here for more.

Terry

WOW

Is it hard to make a movie that matters? No politics, just human stories, people interacting with people, the stuff of life? Love? A little Magnolia, a little Opening Night, a little Ice Storm, Scenes from a Marriage?

Yes, it's hard. But it is NO harder than making a meaningless film about nothing.

So why make Men with Brooms (not to pick on them specifically, just an example) when you could just as easily make The Sweet Hereafter?

There is no answer.

There are so many talented actors in Vancouver. Yumi in Love is going to be great.

THANK YOU SO MUCH to all the actors who came out and gave us AMAZING stuff on Tuesday January 24th.

We're going through everything, and organizing callbacks in pairs.

Even though we got so much from everyone on Tuesday, we've promised a few more folks the oppportunity to read.

To everyone who came out on Tuesday, thank you so much for being so good.

We'll be in contact with everyone who read very soon.

THE RICKY GERVAIS PODCAST is high quality funny.

http://www.rickygervais.com/

MATCH POINT

Why is this playing only at Fifth Avenue? I really like Fifth Avenue and it's vibe, but it's too small for Woody! I had to line up for Deconstructing Harry and so many others, I suppose it's tradition.

Hope to see it after work today if we're not too tired.

BUDGET

It's amazing how much money people can waste making films when they don't have creative ambitious and intelligent people around them. How many amazing films could we have made for half the budget of Men With Brooms? Probably at least ten. Honestly, probably many more.

What a waste.

Big Audition day January 24th.

Eleven roles to cast.

We need a sound department and it would be awesome if they had their own equipment. This might be a tall order, and our biggest challenge to date. Sound is CRUCIAL. The easiest element of a film to handle poorly.

We must have good sound.

If you know any sound folks, please point them our way...read the manifesto. Sound department, you will get a piece of the action.

WILL WORK FOR FOOD

Thanks to all who have submitted their headshots/resumes!

The first round of auditions takes place on January 24th. Casting and I pulled out the photos that seemed closest to the characters as imagined. If you were not called for a January 24th audition, there is still another date coming.

When casting is completed, when we pick our favourites and (hopefully) they pick us, we'll send out an email letting everyone know.

About 160 or so days until Yumi falls in love...

Pulling together the perfect crew comes next: Our crew do not have to be experienced professionals (but we love them too), they just have to be willing to show up, dig in, and love cinema.

A small mobile crew of 5: Camera, Sound Mixer, AD, Script Supervisor, Boom Op

That seems like enough. Run and gun.

ILL FATED: Fantastic Canadian Film. This is Lebowski/Fargo Cohen Brothers good. Really, it's that good.
CHILDSTAR: was pretty good, perhaps a bit too much "message," but kids are tough. Overall a good film.
IT'S ALL ABOUT LOVE: Vinterberg almost made it happen here, but Code 46 is much better. Dear Wendy trumps all.
WHERE THE TRUTH LIES: Great start, really feels like an Egoyan film, far less risky than advertised. Sensational. Good.

ACTING TALENT

Just posted a few new ads for talented acting folks.

If you've sent in headshots/resumes already, no need to resend. I'm still picking out the sides. Will email everyone for a reading/audition at the same time (probably tomorrow A.M. - Tuesday Jan 10th)

Thanks!

CHOOSING SIDES

Just organizing sides. Choosing which scenes I'll be listening to over and over again (happily) during initial readings. Also, trying to determine the best way to attract non-actors attention...I'm hoping for a blend of actors and non-actors on this project, but I'm curious as to how I might let non-actors know they have a shot. If you know anyone who might like to act in a feature film in Vancouver this summer...please have them email ASAP!

I have the location for the auditions/readings, now to send the sides and pick the dates.

Off to choose sides.



Saw most of Childstar last night. Pretty good so far...

MY TOP 10 FILMS OF 2005 (always subject to reinvention or revision)

1. The Squid and the Whale
2. Dear Wendy
3. Broken Flowers
4. Manderlay
5. Grizzly Man
6. Sin City
7. Palindromes
8. Last Days
9. 5X2
10. Nine Lives


Honorable Mention: The 40 Year Old Virgin

Recently viewed or re-viewed:

PRETTY PERSUASION: Better than you would think.
BAD GUY: Great Korean film from 2001
THE LITTLE GIRL WHO LIVES DOWN THE LANE: Martin sheen creepfest with a very young Jodi Foster. Crazy.
HAPPY ENDINGS: Not terrible
INTO THE BLUE: Not good, but good looking.
TRISTANA: sweet Bunuel 1970 style



Films on the to watch pile right now: THREE TIMES, LILA SAYS, MY SUMMER OF LOVE, CACHE, NOTRE MUSIQUE, CHILDSTAR, PIECES OF APRIL, CUL-DE-SAC, IT'S ALL ABOUT LOVE, TWO OR THREE THINGS I KNOW ABOUT HER, MYSTERIOUS SKIN,